Golf-bag.



F. L. O. WADSWQRTH.

GOLF BAG.

APPLICATION FILED MAYzz. 1911)' DHHWHMBIMHIMHOJ..IHREM Q U .\1

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To all/whom it may concern Be it known that T, TRANKL. U. WanswoRTH, al resident of Sewickley, in the county of Allegheny and State of, Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful llmprovement in Golf-Bags, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relatesto golf bags.

The objectiis to provide a golf bag wh1ch is light in weight, durable in construction, and which will not collapse or readily get out of shape.

Golf bags at the present time are constructed either of canvas or other cloth,`or of leather. The leather bags, while durable, are quite'heavy, andthe cloth bags, while light, lack durability, and both .forms of bag sag and get out of shape, which not only mars their appearance but also increases their liability to wear-at the bent portions.

My invention consists of -a canvas or other similar cloth bag resiliently remforced in such' manner as not to materially add to its weight, thereby providing a light weight bag, with an elastic reinforcement which holds the bag in shape so that it remains more sightly, and which strengthens f the bag so that its wearing qualities are greatly increased.

-Generally stated, lthe invention consists vin a.v golf bag formed of canvas or other suitable fabric reinforced both longitudi* nally and circumferentially by suitable stay members, preferably formedl of bent steel wire of high tensile strength and resiliency, all as hereinafter described and claimed.

lln the accompanyingdrawings, Figure 1 isa perspective View ofa golf bag constructed according to my invention; Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the lower portion of the bag; Fig. 3 is a bottom view of the bag with the leather cap removed; Fig. t is a horizontal section through .the seam; lFig. 5 is a plan View of the fabric and stays before being rolled up to form the bag; and Fig. 6 is a .detail `view of a preferred form of stay or reinforcement.

My improved bag is formed of a suitable fabric l, such as canvas, khaki cloth, or any other cloth of the desired color or pattern. This bag is reinforced by longitudinal stays 2 and circumferential stays 3 placedv at such intervals apart as is necessary or desired. These stays may be of any construction hav- Speciication of Letters Patent;

Patented Feb. t6, titula..

.application lcd May 22, 1913. Serial No. 769,177.

ing the necessary resiliency and strength, but preferably will be formed of steel wire and so shaped as to have the maximum strength and resiliency. The form of stay preferred is that illustrated in Fig. 6, which shows the wire 4f bent back and forth in zigyzag or sinuous form to lform oppositely disposed loops or curved portions 5 lying at the edge of the stay and transverse portions 6 extending from edge to edge of the stay.

This structure is very flexible, both in flatwise and in edgewise directions, is highly resilient, and also very durable, due to the fact that bending stresses expend themselves mostly in twisting the transverse or crossing portions 6. The utilization of the torsional strength of they wire obviously renders the structure much less. liable to breakage than if simple bending stresses were utilized. These stays can be secured to the 'fabric in any suitable way, but preferably by inserting them in suitable fabric casings or pockets 7, which can be formed on or secured to the canvas by stitching, as indicated at 8. The ends of the stays, wherel necessary, will be provided with suitable tips 9 to prevent them from cutting into the fabric. In the fabrication of the bag these stays are secured to the canvas when in flat form, as shown in Fig. 4f. Preferably, a

double reinforcement will be provided atthe top and at the bottom, as `indicated atl() and 11. Preferably, also, these stays will be secured to opposite sides of the fabric, although, if desired, they can be secured to the same side, but the latter method produces-slight bulges at the points where the two stays cross each other.' llt is immaterial which of the two stays are placed internally and which externally, but it is preferred to place the circumferential stays on the interior land the longitudinal stays yon the exterior, for the reason that at the seam where the two edges of the canvas meet, a longitudinal stay can be stitched on the outside to conceal the seam and give a uniform appearance all around.

Preferably, the ends of the circumferential stays are slightly longer than the width of the canvas, as shown at 12, so that when the cloth is rolled into bag form the ends of the circumferential stays overlap. Preferably, y also, the 4longitudinal stays at the lower end project below the fabric, as indisov cated at 13, and are bent around the lower corner 14 of the bag and radially inwardly, as shown at 15, Fig. 3, to give reinforcement at the lower corners', where the bag usually breaks .due to the clubs being like. if desired, the stays on the two faces' of the fabric can be secured together at the crossing points, such as by'means of small rivets 20, but this is notnecessary. The

double lines of circumferential reinforcement at the top and bottom give special strength at these pointswhere the greatest strains come. The number of intermediate, circumferential stays may be varied within considerable limits.' It is preferred, however, to vlace a circumferential stay at the points w ere the ends ofthe handle 2l and the ends of' the carrying strap 22 are secured, asy shown clearlyy in Fig. 1, in order to preventV the carrying members from -tearing the fabric. It is also preferred to attach these ends' on the lines of longitudinal reinforcements'. The handle 21 and carrying strap E22 can be secured either by stitching or rivets', or both.

The' particular stays illustrated are capable of endwise compression, and if the lonygitudinal sta s are placed in their pockets or cases un er endwise compression they tend to hoidf -the bag perfectly straight and prevent the saineI from wrinkling.

The resilient stays arranged in the mann er described keep the bag from collapsing or wrinkling', either longitudinally or ltransversely, thereby rendering it more sightly than ordinary cloth bags and greatly reinforcing" thev fabric so that it wears much longer than cloth ba s, and at the same time the bag is practically no heavier than ordinary cloth or canvas bags, while fully as durable as the heavier leather bags now in use'. The circumferentially arranged re'- silient stays keep the bag always in an open position so that the Withdrawal and replacement of the-clubsl is' greatly facilitated. The bottom particularly is reinforced at the corners where the strain always comes when the clubs are dropped into the bag, and where golf bags frequently fail. At the saine time, the great flexibility of the reinforcing members-particularl of such form as shown in Fig. -enables t e bag to be folded or collapsed into small compass for storage or transfer purposes Without injury to either the body of the bag or the reinforcement thereof.

Numerous changes in construction and arrangement ofparts can be made without departing from the spirit ofthe invention.

What claim' is 1. A golf lbag comprising a body having secured thereto Hat stays composed of wire bent' back andl forth in sinuous form in the same general plane. l A

2. A golf bag comprising a body having secured thereto longitudinal Vand circumferential stays composed of resilient wire bent back and forth in sinuous form in the same general pl'a'ne.v

3. A golf bag, comprising a body having secured thereto' longitudinal and circumferential stays formed of wire bent into the form of flat springs and inclosed in pockets or casings on said body with their llat planes 1iondthe general plane of the material of the 4. A golf bag, comprising a body having secured to the outer surfaces thereof flat bent Wire stays, said stays being extended around the lower corners of the bag and secured tol and supporting the bottom thereof.

5. A golf bag comprising a body having secured to the outside thereof longitudinal stays of resilient wire, said stays being bent around the lower corners of the bag, and a fiber bottoml in said bag to which the free ends of said stays are secured and which is supported thereby.

6. A golf bag comprising a body having secured' thereto longitudinal stays of resilient wire, said stays being bent around the lower corners of the bag, a liber bottom in saidl bag to which the free ends of said stays are secured, a fiber cap covering the ends of said stays, and securin means passing through said stays, bod ottom and cap.

In testimony whereo I have hereunto set my hand.

FRANK.- L. O. WADSWORTII.

Witnesses:

WILLIAM P. LAinrrN, WiLLIAM B. WHAnToN. 

